Understanding the source of water for selected springs within Mojave Trails National Monument, California

While water sources that sustain many of the springs in the Mojave Desert have been poorly understood, the desert ecosystem can be highly dependent on such resources. This evaluation updates the water resource forensics of Bonanza Spring, the largest spring in the southeastern Mojave Desert. The sou...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inEnvironmental forensics Vol. 19; no. 2; pp. 99 - 111
Main Authors Zdon, Andy, Davisson, M. Lee, Love, Adam H.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Philadelphia Taylor & Francis Ltd 03.04.2018
Subjects
Aquifer systems
Aquifers
Communication
Composition
Deserts
Ecosystems
Environmental impact
Evaluation
Geologic mapping
Geological mapping
Geological maps
Groundwater
Groundwater chemistry
Groundwater levels
Groundwater quality
Hydrologic data
Isotopes
Spring
Surfacing
Water chemistry
Water quality
Water resources
Water springs
Mojave Desert
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Summary:While water sources that sustain many of the springs in the Mojave Desert have been poorly understood, the desert ecosystem can be highly dependent on such resources. This evaluation updates the water resource forensics of Bonanza Spring, the largest spring in the southeastern Mojave Desert. The source of spring flow at Bonanza Spring was evaluated through an integration of published geologic maps, measured groundwater levels, water quality chemistry, and isotope data compiled from both published sources and new samples collected for water chemistry and isotopic composition. The results indicate that Bonanza Spring has a regional water source, in hydraulic communication with basin fill aquifer systems. Neighboring Lower Bonanza Spring appears to primarily be a downstream manifestation of surfacing water originally discharged from the Bonanza Spring source. Whereas other springs in the area, Hummingbird, Chuckwalla, and Teresa Springs, each appear to be locally sourced as "perched" springs. These conclusions have important implications for managing activities that have the potential to impact the desert ecosystem.
ISSN:1527-5922
1527-5930
DOI:10.1080/15275922.2018.1448909